


The Issues of Mortality (and Other Things Considered)

by QueenOfTheNerdlords



Series: Until Death Do Us Part [1]
Category: Mad Father
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Fluff, Asexual Character, Demon/Human Relationships, Established Relationship, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Married Life, Mentions of Death, Older Man/Younger Woman, Past Character Death, Past Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-18
Updated: 2016-02-18
Packaged: 2018-05-21 12:43:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6052069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenOfTheNerdlords/pseuds/QueenOfTheNerdlords
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I'm going to die someday, right?" Aya rasped. "I'll wither and fade, and you'll always stay the same... I'll die before you do."</p><p>"Does this make you feel afraid?" Onigawara asked in a hushed tone. "Are you angry? ...Envious, perhaps?"</p><p>"No." She responded simply, her expression staying impassive. "It makes me feel... sad. I don't want to leave you behind."</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Issues of Mortality (and Other Things Considered)

"Aren't the stars pretty?" Aya asked, leaning against the outer wall of their house. She had a faraway look in her eyes, as if her soul had left her body and was now wandering off somewhere else. "They shine and sparkle so brightly, and there's so many it's impossible to count. It makes me feel so small and unimportant... What about you?"

Onigawara had joined her in stargazing and he was leaning against the house right beside her, his eyes focused mainly on her, studying the expression she was making, looking for any hint of emotions on her face. It seemed she was distressed and he wanted to ask what was wrong, but he didn't want to blow off her question at the same time. So, he replied. "I have never felt insignificant or small, but I will admit, the stars are a very beautiful sight to see..."

Aya looked towards him and smiled a tiny bit. Then, her smile fell and she sighed.

"Today is the day my father died." She said simply. Onigawara turned his head to face her, a pensive expression on both of their faces.

"Would... you like to talk about him?" He asked, unsure of how she'd respond.

From what Onigawara knew, her father had been a serial killer who had kept Aya locked up in his mansion ever since her birth. He had died in a house fire that had completely obliterated the house and everyone who was in it at the time. He could tell that she still loved him deeply, even though he had been a murderer, and he knew that it tore her up sometimes that she had never done anything about it. Which was why he was hesitant to bring up any old wounds.

He sometimes regretted the fact that he had aided in her father's death, but as it stands, he was a terrible man. And, he was a demon. Deals and contracts made up his life, and a job was a job. So while he did regret that he hurt Aya, he did not regret aiding Aya's mother in getting rid of him.

Thankfully, Aya closed her eyes and shook her head.

"No... I-I've moved on." Something convinced Onigawara that this was not at all true, but he didn't want to forcefully pry answers out of her. She continued to gaze up at the night sky with wonder as she spoke. "It just made me think about something."

"Oh?" Onigawara raised an eyebrow curiously, interested in what she had to say. "What might that be?"

There was a pause.

"I'm going to die someday, right?" Aya rasped. "I'll wither and fade, and you'll always stay the same... I'll die before you do."

"Does this make you feel afraid?" Onigawara asked in a hushed tone. "Are you angry? ...Envious, perhaps?"

"No." She responded simply, her expression staying impassive. "It makes me feel... sad. I don't want to leave you behind."

Onigawara wasn't very surprised by her answer, and he had a feeling he knew why she felt this way, but he wanted to hear it in her own words. It was more important if she gave her opinion rather than him just guessing. He straightened his shoulders and faced her, but she still kept her distant gaze to the stars. He didn't mind though.

"I appreciate you considering my feelings, but why should you worry yourself with my troubles and emotions? It will only cause you stress."

Aya then whipped her head back to face him, passion flaring in her eyes and a stern expression on her face. "Because I love you. You're my husband and I care about you more than anyone else. I don't want you to be hurt or sad, I just want you to be happy. And I just feel so fragile, like I could die at any moment, and I know that would hurt you a lot. It would hurt me so much if I lost you. I just... I just..."

Aya sniffed, wiping away the few tears that fell from her eyes. Onigawara sighed and then moved towards her. He then gently put his arms around her and shushed her, as he would with a crying child. He never liked to see Aya cry, and while he didn't necessarily like physical affection, he knew Aya needed it. Especially right now. 

"I know, I know..." He murmured softly as Aya wept. "It will be okay, I promise."

He then stood there with Aya in his embrace, Aya trying to dry her tears and stop the rush of tears streaming down her cheeks. Eventually, the tears stopped, and she hated how she must have looked like a child, crying like that. Her breathing slowed down as well, and when Onigawara noticed that she was calm, he spoke up again.

"I know you may not like to hear this, but..." He paused, searching for the right words to say. "You are not the only human I have fallen in love with."

Aya's eyes widened and she felt a prick of jealousy, but she said nothing. She was indeed curious about her husband's past loves, but that could be answered another day. Patiently, she waited for him to continue. 

"I do not fall in love easily, nor do I forget my past or present relationships. And the fact that I have loved other people does not mean that I love you any less or them any more. But I know grief. I know how to grieve. And while I will mourn your death greatly, I know that, eventually, I will move on."

He began to gently stroke her hair as he spoke and Aya greatly appreciated the gesture. 

"You do not have to worry about causing me pain." He murmured. "Life is full of pain, and you cannot protect me from it all. Just as I cannot protect you from everything, you cannot always be there for me. I understand that."

"But... I-I can still try." Aya sniffed.

Onigawara chuckled gently, a soft smile on his face. "Yes, you can. But I'd rather that you didn't. I'd rather you live your life freely and happily before you die. I wouldn't want you to waste it making sure that I was alright."

Aya looked down at her feet, tears threatening to fall from her now slightly red face.

"I'll try... I'll try to live a really good life, for you, at least."

Onigawara wasn't happy about how fixated she was on his happiness, but he kept quiet seeing as he could bring that up another day, one where Aya wasn't so emotionally distressed. He sighed and rested his head on her shoulder.

"Thank you." He whispered in her ear. 

A shiver was sent up Aya's spine and she swallowed. It always calmed her when Onigawara whispered like that, and yet it also ignited some kind of desire within her that, before meeting the demon, she had never known. She let out a breath of air and then sighed.

"I would do anything for you." She responded. "I would die for you if I had to."

Onigawara's grip on her tightened, and he replied, "Let's hope it never comes to that, then."


End file.
